*******************
FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER
"Excellent friend! How sincerely did you love me and endeavour to elevate my
mind until it was on a level with your own!"
Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
********************
The worst part, Malcolm reflected, was seeing the damned doctor led off in restraints, and Amata wheeled off in a bodybag.
The good die young, and the wicked live on, he thought to himself, staring at the ceiling. The Mdarans had swooped into the laboratory just as he'd opened his eyes and wondered why he wasn't dead. Then Amata had slumped onto him, blocking his vision. He couldn't make his arms work. He had just lain there until the Mdaran police lifted her lifeless body away.
They'd lifted him up, his momentarily useless arms and legs flopping around, and he saw the doctor, still alive and angry. Wounded, but not mortally. After that, mostly everything was a blur of hallways, pain, and medical instruments until he'd finally fallen asleep in the Mdaran medical bay.
He looked over at the next bed. Hoshi's dark eyes met his own; neither had realized the other was awake.
"I tried to tell them, Malcolm," she said, and tears threatened to spill over.
"I know," he replied. His head still hurt.
"It's just like Captain Archer," she said, and a single tear slipped down her cheek. "They just assumed the worst and didn't bother to find out that she wasn't doing anything wrong."
"She saved my life."
"I know," Hoshi said. "Dr. Yedel told them everything right as they brought us back here. I was right behind him and I heard it all."
"Wish I'd thought to bring a phase pistol," he said. One of the doctors had relayed Hoshi's story before Malcolm had gone to sleep.
"He said... he said your mind was easier to get into because she'd been looking into your head so much... you might not have had any time to do anything," said Hoshi.
"I still would have tried."
They fell silent for a while, until the door swooshed open and the Mdaran medic entered. Malcolm inwardly sighed. More prodding and poking. He had to admit, though, that he wouldn't mind something for his headache.
"Hello, Lieutenant, Ensign!" chirped a cheerful voice. Malcolm bolted upright from his bed and groaned, clutching his still-aching head.
"Dr. Phlox!" said Hoshi. The Denobulan's face curved in his familiar too-large smile as he began to unpack his medical bag.
"How are you two feeling?" said another familiar voice from behind the doctor. "We were pretty worried."
"Captain Archer!" Malcolm exclaimed. "I can explain!"
"Explain what? It's not your fault you ended up here."
"Er... I expected...taking unnecessary risks..."
Archer's eyes twinkled. "So I was angry at you for taking risks before. I'm just glad to have my Armoury officer and my Translator back."
"Thank you, sir," said Malcolm. The Mdaran medic, who'd entered after Archer, came to Phlox's side.
"We've cleared them to leave," he said, yellow eyes sweeping over the two patients. "I can get a chair for Lieutenant Reed. I doubt he's strong enough to walk yet."
Malcolm groaned. "Sir, I'm perfectly all right." He sat up, carefully swung himself out of bed, and promptly lost his balance, tipping forward over Phlox's medical bag. Archer, hiding a smile, caught the lieutenant before he hit the ground.
"I think he'll be all right with a little bit of help," said Archer.
With Malcolm leaning on the captain's shoulder, they walked towards the door and out into the hallway. "How are you holding up?" asked Archer asked him as they slowly made their way toward the docking port.
"Other than this, I'm fine," said Malcolm. He kept his eyes on the ground.
"Come on, Malcolm. I saw how angry you were when I stunned her."
"Captain," said Malcolm desperately, "I really don't want to talk about it."
The captain regarded him solemnly for a moment as they waited for the airlock to open. "If you ever do, Malcolm," he said, "just remember that you have friends who are very willing to listen."
"Aye, sir." Malcolm knew as well as the captain how unlikely it was that he would take up that suggestion, and they walked into Enterprise in silence.
**************
He ran over the heath, a child again with blue eyes and black curls, skipping and yelling in the twilight. Where were his friends and his sister? He didn't see them anywhere.
"Maddie!" he shouted; Mum would be quite angry if he lost his little sister out here. "Hoshi? Trip?"
Someone came running over the grass, giggling. A little girl, but not his sister; bright yellow cat's eyes regarded him solemnly in the dim light. "How are you today, Lieutenant Malcolm Reed?" she asked him, with a faint accent.
"You're not supposed to be here!" he said, stepping backwards.
"Of course I am. I'm the last, and the strongest," she replied, and danced around him. "I can run so fast, Malcolm!" She gazed up at him with those eerie yellow eyes. "You ran faster. I almost lost my friend because I couldn't catch you, before."
"I'm sorry." He blinked at her. "You look different."
She smiled, and for the first time he did not find the alien face grotesque; rather, it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. "I have to go now, Malcolm, friend. I just wanted to say thank you."
"For what? You saved my life."
"You saved mine first." She giggled. "Goodbye, my friend. You don't have to be angry, you know. You have more friends besides me. Don't let them go, either. They can help you. Like you helped me." And she ran away from him, off across the moor, so quickly that Malcolm could not catch her.
"Amata!" he cried, and suddenly clawed the blankets from his face, sitting up in a rush. Sickbay was quiet, except for the faint rustle of one of Phlox's animals.
Hoshi, in the next bed, turned over and looked at him sleepily. "You okay, Malcolm?"
"Just a dream," he said. His hands were damp with sweat, and he wiped them on the sheets.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, sitting up in bed.
Yellow cat's eyes in the twilight.
"Yes," he said. "Yes, I do."
*******************
THE END!! Tell me what you think, because I had a lot of trouble ending it.
Should it be different? Any advice? All reviews welcome!!
(Hey, I can finally give this book back to my English teacher! Sorry, Ms.
Vandegevel! I needed quotes!)